How to Pick In-Season Produce & Grilling Tips from GIANT

Ready, set, fire…up your grill to kick-start the grilling season! With Memorial Day coming up this weekend it’s the perfect time to get the grill out and get cooking. While we traditionally think of Memorial Day cookouts as being all about the burgers and hot dogs (whether they’re meat or vegetarian) grilling isn’t just for traditional favorites. You can make everything from pizza to dessert (yes, really!) on the grill.

With the start of spring so many local, in season fruits and vegetables are available. So it’s time to make room for veggies and fruits on the grill alongside of your favorite mains.

Why grilling? The heat of the grill caramelizes the natural sugars in fruits and brings out the flavors in veggies without having to add too much butter, salt, or sugar.

How to Choose Fresh and In-Season Produce

During the spring and summer months, GIANT customers will find locally grown produce as the local growing season is nearing its peak. Fruits and vegetables such as strawberries, corn, melon, peaches, and peppers are just some of the items GIANT features from nearby farms. You can find info in your weekly circular or head to the store to check out the latest from local farmers.

• Use this handy guide to help you tell what is in season in your area.
• Look for labels that indicate where produce was grown.
• Avoid anything that doesn’t grow where you live (bananas for example).
• Talk to the folks that work in the produce section if you have questions about the produce. GIANT is one of the few stores where I can get fresh produce without getting wilted lettuce or mushy apples.

What to Look for Produce and How to Store Fresh Produce (via GIANT)

Always check produce before you buy for bruising, ripeness, and you can even tell if fruit is flavorful by smelling it. Fruit that is flavorful tends to smell better than fruit that’s out of season.

• Green beans should be a bright green color with a velvety texture and no discoloration. Fresh green beans should snap in half easily. Store them in a plastic bag in the refrigerator, and don’t wash them until you are ready to use.
• Corn will have husks with a green color and pale silk. Gently pull the top of the husk away. If the kernels are discolored, dented or missing from several rows, that means the corn is not fresh. To store, simply keep unhusked corn in the refrigerator. If you husk the corn, place it in storage bags before refrigerating. Eat as soon as possible for maximum taste and freshness.
• Tomatoes should be a deep, rich red color. They should be without wrinkles, cracks or bruises. If a tomato yields to light pressure, it’s ripe. Tomatoes are sensitive to cold and should be stored at room temperature, out of direct sunlight. Tomatoes will keep up to a week, depending on ripeness at the time of purchase.
• Cucumbers should be firm with a bright, even color throughout. Be sure to avoid those that have soft spots or blemishes. Store in your refrigerator’s crisper drawer.
• Peppers are best with firm with smooth skin and a fairly even shape. The coloring should be uniform, with no blemishes, soft spots or wrinkles. Store green peppers in the produce drawer of your refrigerator for 5 to 7 days.

GIANT Grilling Recipes

Find all kinds of grilling recipes here on GIANT’s site, and be sure to check out some of my favorites below.

• Grilled vegetables: This is a simple way to grill up all kinds of veggies.
• Marinated asparagus: One of my favorites and a perfect side for any kind of beef or pork.
• Grilled apples: Apples are in-season all summer long so you can try this recipe with a variety of apple varieties.
• Grilled corn: This is a delicious and easy way to cook corn.

Grilling and Food Safety Tips

Grilling tips include food safety tips and advice on how to cook perfectly grilled food.

Food Safety Tips

• Marinate in the fridge preferably overnight.
• Rinse all fresh fruit and vegetables under running tap water before you grill including those with skins and rind.
• Keep a separate cutting board for fresh produce and meats avoid cross-contamination during food preparation.
• Check internal temperatures to be sure your food is fully cooked.

Grill Tips:

• When cooking meats-turn once to keep the juices in and to get a nice sear-which is what gives grilled meat its’ delicious flavor.
• Baste meats during the last 5 to 10 minutes of grilling to maximize flavor. Basting too soon may cause burning.
• Let meat rest for 5 minutes before serving to allow juices to settle.
• When grilling corn, soak unshucked in water for ½-1 hour before grilling. Kernels will steam inside the stalks.
• To grill whole peppers, coat with olive oil, then place on a hot grill. Turn the pepper as it blackens and place in a paper bag when done. This will steam the pepper, making it easier to remove the peel and seed.
• Try mangoes, pineapples, bananas and stone fruits on the grill.
• Softer fruits will cook faster than harder fruits.
• Try skewering wedges of fruit with cinnamon sticks before grilling for added flavor.

GIANT Giveaways!

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Kelly

Disclosure: This is a sponsored post on behalf of GIANT.

About Kelly

Kelly Whalen is the founder and editor of the Centsible Life blog. She started the blog 6 years ago as her family faced a mountain of debt. The blog became a resource to readers and a hub for everything you need in life for less. Kelly lives in the Philadelphia area with her superhero husband, 4 awesome kids, and one adorable dog. She still believes you can have it all....just not all at once.

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